Queen of the North
by sofia313
Summary: Instead of Renly, Robb forms an alliance with Stannis, who has one demand. Robb must marry Shireen. After beating the Lannisters, Stannis claims the Iron Throne while Robb becomes the King of the North. Now he needs to honor his vow and welcome his Queen.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Robb crossed his arms and looked at the man sitting opposite him at the table. Stannis Baratheon. His new ally. He still didn't think that he could completely trust Stannis, but they did have something in common. Neither of them could stand the Lannisters. Together they had a much better chance to win this war. But…

"About the marriage…" Robb started.

"That part is not negotiable," Stannis stated firmly.

Robb tried to choose his words carefully; he didn't want to offend Stannis. He hadn't actually met Stannis' daughter, but he had heard about her. As unpleasant as it was for him to admit it, Shireen Baratheon wasn't the kind of girl he was hoping to marry.

"My lord… Lady Shireen is still quite young, so perhaps…"

"As I said, that part is not negotiable," Stannis cut in. "I have already sent for my daughter, I want the wedding to take place here in your camp."

Robb's eyes widened.

"Here?"

"Yes. As you said, Shireen is still young, so I trust you agree to postpone the bedding."

"Yes, of course, but surely we can also postpone the wedding."

Stannis looked at him calmly.

"I'm afraid I can't agree to that."

Robb frowned.

"Why is that?"

There was no expression on Stannis' face.

"I prefer not to wait."

"Are you suggesting that I would break my vow?"

"Well… According to my experience, young men can make foolish decisions sometimes."

Robb pressed his lips together; he didn't appreciate Stannis' words. Yet he couldn't deny that he was hoping to somehow avoid the whole marriage. Unfortunately Stannis had made it clear that there would be no alliance without the marriage. Robb had to admit that Stannis' other terms had been more than reasonable.

Stannis would have the Iron Throne, Robb would have the North. Together they would have the greatest army in Westeros, they would very likely beat the Lannisters. Marrying Stannis' daughter should be a small price to pay, but… What if she was absolutely hideous? How would Robb be able to bed a girl like that? What about their children then?

No, he couldn't just think about himself, not in a situation like this. He needed to think what was best for his family and his people. If the girl was hideous, then he would just have to deal with that. Besides, she was 14 now, so he wouldn't have to bed her right away.

"Alright," Robb stated. "Agreed, I will wed Lady Shireen."

Stannis nodded briefly.

"Very good. She will be here soon."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

Shireen closed her eyes as she felt the gentle breeze on her face. She truly enjoyed riding and this was the longest ride she had ever taken. After spending most of her life in Dragonstone, the long roads and open fields felt very strange to her.

"Princess?" Ser Davos called. "Are you tired? The carriage is prepared for you, if…"

"No, thank you, Ser Davos," Shireen replied. "I enjoy riding."

Ser Davos smiled.

"I can see that."

Shireen smiled too.

"I am very grateful you are here," she said.

"Of course. It is my honor to escort you, princess."

Lady Selyse had refused to leave Dragonstone and Shireen's departure hadn't seemed to interest her at all. Not that Shireen had expected her mother to suddenly care about her. She knew how deeply her mother despised her. Lady Selyse had told her more than once that Shireen didn't deserve to live when her brothers were dead. To her, Shireen was nothing more than disgrace. A constant reminder of her loss.

If it would have been Lady Selyse's choice, Shireen would have been locked in her tower for the rest of her life. She most certainly wouldn't be on her way to her wedding. The thought made Shireen very nervous. When the raven had brought the message from her father, she hadn't known what to think. Her father had never even talked about marrying her off and now he wanted her to marry a stranger.

She had hoped some kind of advice from her mother, but Lady Selyse hadn't told her anything. All the knowledge Shireen had, came from her books. That knowledge wasn't nearly enough; there were still many things she couldn't understand. The only person, who could maybe answer to some of her questions, was Ser Davos. He had always treated Shireen kindly and looked after her. She loved him dearly and trusted him.

Quickly Shireen glanced at her father's soldiers who were riding with her and Ser Davos. They also had two carriages with them. The other carriage was meant for Shireen, but she preferred riding her own horse.

"Ser Davos?" Shireen said as she guided her horse next to his. "May I ask you few questions?"

"Of course, princess."

"I was wondering if you could tell me something about Lord Stark."

Shireen noticed Ser Davos tensing.

"Yes… I have heard that he is an honorable man, princess."

"I have heard that people call him The Young Wolf. Do you know why?"

"I believe that is because of his skills in battle."

"Oh." Shireen paused and smiled. "I have also heard that he could turn into a wolf and rip his enemies apart. I suppose that's not true."

"I doubt that, princess," Ser Davos replied smiling.

Shireen was quiet for a while before continuing.

"I… I'm nervous, Ser Davos. What if I disgust him?"

"No! Princess, don't you dare say something like that. You are a beautiful, smart young lady, any lord would be lucky to wed you."

"Thank you, I appreciate you saying that."

"It is the truth," Ser Davos replied firmly. "And I hope this young lord is worthy of you."

Shireen smiled at Ser Davos warmly, but she couldn't shake her nervousness. What if Lord Stark would refuse to wed her after meeting her? What if she would dishonor her father? What if she would be a bad wife? She did know what wife's responsibilities were, but could she fulfill them? She didn't know exactly what happened on wedding night, she had only heard some whispers. That part probably scared her the most.

She had heard that the husband and the wife would be naked and the husband would do something to the wife. According to the maids, that something would hurt. Shireen had never been naked in front of a man, the thought was terrifying. Once again she hoped that her mother would have at least explained these things to her, she was most certainly too embarrassed to ask Ser Davos. All she could hope was that Lord Stark would be patient with her.

He was older than her, so he most likely knew how these things worked. Hopefully he would be kind enough to answer her questions before they would be naked. That was another thing that worried her. Was he a kind man? What if he would be cruel? Shireen knew that her father loved her and she wanted to believe that he wouldn't marry her off to a cruel man.

She also knew how badly her father wanted the Iron Throne. Shireen had studied the history of war strategies and she understood the importance of this alliance. This marriage was a way to seal the alliance. Noble girls rarely got to choose their husbands and she hadn't expected that she could either. She hadn't really expected to get married at all, not after her mother had made it clear how ashamed she was of Shireen.

Her father had always been kind to her, but he had also wanted her to stay in her tower. He had never said that he would be ashamed of her, but she had assumed that he was. She had assumed that he couldn't bear to see people staring at his daughter and thinking how hideous she looked. Shireen didn't really care if people stared at her, but it did make her feel insecure sometimes. Yet she wasn't ashamed of herself. This was her; she didn't try to be anything else. She had tried her hardest to be a good daughter and she would try just as hard to be a good wife. Hopefully that would be enough to Lord Stark.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

"Robb," Catelyn said gently and placed her hand on her son's shoulder. "You are doing the right thing for all of us."

"I know, mother," Robb sighed. "I just…"

"I know," Catelyn assured and hugged her son. "You are putting your family and your people first. Your father would be very proud of you."

Robb felt a sting every time when he thought about his father. Eddard Stark had been the most honorable man Robb had ever met and a good husband and a father. He would have deserved so much better. The least Robb owed him was to punish his murderers. If that meant marrying a girl he had never met, so be it.

"Is everything ready?" he asked absentmindedly.

"Yes," Catelyn replied. "The septon is already here and Lady Shireen should arrive shortly."

"Good."

The wedding feast would be quite modest, but that didn't make any difference to Stannis. He had insisted the wedding to take place here right after his daughter would arrive. Robb sighed and took a gulp out of his wine goblet. He was in his tent with his mother and Grey Wind, waiting for the ceremony.

"You look very handsome," Catelyn said after a long silence.

Robb tried his best to smile.

"Thank you, mother."

Not that he really cared what he looked like, but he had bathed and tried to make himself presentable. This was after all his wedding day and he would soon meet his wife.

"Your Grace?" a guard called from outside.

"Yes?" Robb said, standing up.

"Lady Shireen has arrived."

It took a moment before Robb managed to move, he needed to take a deep breath first. Catelyn touched his shoulder without saying a word. No words were needed right now. Determinedly Robb marched outside and saw Stannis approaching his tent.

"Lord Robb. My daughter just arrived."

"Yes, I heard," Robb replied, keeping his voice free from emotion.

"She needs a brief moment to get ready; we can get started after that."

Robb raised an eyebrow.

"I would like to meet her before the ceremony."

"Perhaps we should get the formalities out of the way first," Stannis replied calmly. "I am sure you agree that this is not a safe place for her, she should not stay here any longer than is necessary."

Robb gritted his teeth, but he forced himself to keep in mind the importance of this alliance. What difference did it make if he would meet her before the wedding or not, he would still have to wed her.

"Alright," he stated as calmly as he could. "I will go to the septon and wait for her there."

"Thank you. We will join you soon."

Robb tried his best to hide his annoyance as he went to look for the septon. He hadn't paid any attention to the wedding preparations and now he noticed that his mother had arranged a place for the ceremony in the middle of the camp. Many of his men had gathered there and he noticed the septon standing at the end of an aisle that had been decorated with flowers.

The men started to cheer when they noticed Robb. He forced a smile on his face as he greeted them on his way to the septon. Catelyn followed him and took her place on the front row. It didn't take long when Stannis arrived, arm in arm with his daughter. The girl looked quite short; she was wearing a beige wedding gown and black and gold cloak. Unfortunately her face was hidden under a veil.

Robb tensed, how ugly was she when Stannis didn't even want to let him see her during the ceremony? All the men stopped talking as Stannis and his daughter walked down the aisle. For a brief moment Robb considered walking away, but that wasn't even an option. He had no choice but to take this girl as his wife. She and her father stopped in front of him and Stannis handed her over to Robb. After that Stannis moved next to Catelyn and some other man who Robb didn't know. This man was looking at Lady Shireen with a worried expression.

"You may now cloak the bride and bring her under your protection," the septon said.

The girl turned, helping Robb to take her cloak off and replace it with grey and white one.

"My lords, my ladies," the septon continued. "We stand here in the sight of gods and men to witness the union of man and wife. One flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever."

Robb took his bride's hand that felt small in his. He also noticed that her hands were shaking. Clearly she was nervous. The septon tied a ribbon in a knot around their hands.

"Let in be known that Lord Robb of House Stark and Lady Shireen of House Baratheon are one heart, one flesh, one soul. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder. In the sight of the Seven, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity."

Robb pressed his lips together as the septon unraveled the ribbon. He really wanted to see his bride's face.

"Look upon each other and say the words," the septon said.

Robb hoped that the girl would lift the veil, but she didn't. This was ridiculous, how was he supposed to look at her when he couldn't even see her face. Yet he forced himself to say the words.

"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger. I am hers and she is mine. From this day, until the end of my days."

Now it was finally the time. Slowly Robb raised his hands and lifted the veil. What he saw was a face of a young girl who was looking at him shyly with her blue eyes. Half of her face was covered with scars. He stared at her for so long that the septon cleared his throat. That snapped Robb out of it, quickly he leaned forward.

"With this kiss, I pledge my love," he stated, managing to sound quite calm

She blinked her eyes rapidly as he kissed her cheek. The men started to cheer and applaud. From the corner of his eye, Robb saw the satisfied look on Stannis' face. The man next to him however looked everything but satisfied. His arms were crossed and he was glaring at Robb. For a brief moment Robb wondered who he was, but he had more important things on his mind right now. He was now tied to this girl for the rest of his life. He had no idea how to feel about that.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

Shireen sat at the long table next to her husband who was talking with her father. She hadn't expected much of a wedding feast, but there was plenty of food, wine and even musicians. The men seemed to be enjoying themselves; the whole camp was full of laughter and cheerful chatting. It was getting dark and the campfires had already been lit. Everyone wanted to congratulate Lord Stark; Shireen had barely had a chance to say a word to him.

She had no idea what he thought of her. He had stared at her for a long time after lifting her veil, but she hadn't been able to tell what he had escorted her to the table, but he hadn't spoken much. She felt insecure and out of place, hoping to see a friendly face. She hadn't gotten used to be in the middle of so much people, especially when they were strangers. Her husband's mother, Lady Catelyn, had greeted her briefly, but after that she had been busy talking with some lords.

"Princess?" Ser Davos' voice said.

Shireen turned and smiled, she was more than happy to see him.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"Yes, everything is fine," she replied. "Have you eaten, Ser Davos?"

"Yes, more than I should have."

Shireen smiled.

"Nonsense, you are my guest of honor, I want you to enjoy yourself."

He smiled too.

"Thank you, princess, I'm honored to be here." He paused and touched her shoulder. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you."

She truly appreciated his words; he was the first person who had complimented her. Not that she had expected compliments from her husband; surely he had plenty of other things on his mind.

"Do you have a place to sleep?" she asked.

"Yes, no need to worry about me."

"You are my friend, Ser Davos, of course I worry about you."

He looked at her warmly; she knew that he loved her like she would be his own daughter. The truth was that he had taken care of her more than her father had. Of course Shireen loved her father, but she also loved Ser Davos. She knew that she could always count on him.

"Excuse me," she said and covered her mouth as she yawned.

"You are tired, you should get some rest."

"Yes," her father suddenly said and looked at Lord Stark. "Perhaps you should retire."

It took a brief moment before Shireen understood what he meant. Retire… That meant both her and Lord Stark. Together. This was their wedding night. How could have she forgotten that? The worst part was that she still didn't know what would happen; no one had explained it to her.

"Yes," Lord Stark stated and stood up. "I can see that the lady is tired."

He offered Shireen his hand and helped her up.

"Thank you, my lord," she managed to say.

Ser Davos stared at Stannis disbelievingly.

"My king…" he started, but Stannis silenced him with the wave of his hand. Then he smiled at Shireen.

"Good night, my dear."

"Good night, father," she replied quietly. "Ser Davos."

Lord Stark also bid them good night before leading Shireen to his tent. Some of the men cheered, making Shireen blush. She had never been so nervous in her life; her heart was pounding like a drum. Cautiously she looked around in the tent as Lord Stark poured himself some wine.

"I apologize for not noticing how tired you were," he said. "Wine?"

"Yes, please," Shireen squeaked, she couldn't control her fear.

"Make yourself comfortable, my lady," he stated as he handed her a wine goblet.

"Thank you, my lord."

Her hands were shaking as she took a gulp out of the goblet. She cursed herself for forgetting this. Slowly she looked at him, hoping that he would be patient with her.

"My lord," she started. "I…"

"What is wrong?"

"I… Please forgive me, but I don't know what to do. No one told me."

His eyes widened.

"What? No, no, my lady, you won't have to do anything, not tonight."

"I don't understand…." She paused, trying to pull herself together. "I am sorry if I displease you…"

"You don't," he assured quickly and took a step towards her. "I thought that your father explained this to you."

She shook her head.

"Explained what?"

He smiled at her calmingly.

"Your father and I agreed that you are still too young, my lady. You and I will spend the night in this tent together, but I won't touch you. Not before you are a little older."

Shireen was confused, but also grateful.

"You agreed to that, my lord?"

"Of course. I wouldn't harm a woman, especially my wife."

She looked at him for a moment and smiled.

"You are very kind, my lord."

He smiled too.

"Any man would do the same, my lady."

Shireen didn't think so and she appreciated his kindness.

"Would you like to take a seat?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes, please."

They both sat at the small table and emptied their wine goblets.

"So, tell me something about yourself, my lady."

"There isn't much to tell. I have lived my whole life in Dragonstone."

"Your father told me that you are very smart."

She couldn't help but blush.

"I… I enjoy reading and my father has offered me a wonderful education. Normally that kind of education would be for boys, but…"

"I see. What kinds of things have you been taught?"

"Everything my father thought could be useful. Politics, history, poetry, war tactics…"

He raised an eyebrow.

"War tactics?"

"Yes."

"Well… That sounds very interesting. I don't believe that I have ever met a young lady who would know about such things."

Shireen wasn't sure did he mean that as a good thing or not.

"I'm sorry…"

"Please, don't apologize," he said smiling. "I would love to hear more."

"You would?"

"Absolutely."

He poured them both more wine and they talked. She told him about her life and he told her about his. He wanted to save his sisters and avenge his father's death. She could understand him.

"I am sorry about your father," she said quietly.

"Me too. He was a good man."

"You seem like a good man as well."

"I try to be," he replied.

She blinked her eyes and yawned.

"I'm sorry."

"No need to be." He paused and stood up. "It seems that you could use some rest. Please."

He gestured towards the bed.

"You can sleep on the bed; I will sleep on the ground."

"No, no," she protested. "That hardly sounds fair."

He smiled.

"I have slept on the ground before."

"Perhaps, but you don't have to tonight. We can both sleep on the bed, I trust you, my lord."

He looked at her for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you. We shall share the bed then."

She stood up as well and noticed that there was a nightgown ready for her. He turned around, giving her some privacy. Quickly she undressed, wore the nightgown and lied down under the fur.

"I'm ready."

He turned and removed his belt and boots before joining her. They lied there silently for a while, she wasn't nervous at all.

"I will try my hardest to be a good wife for you, my lord," she said after a long silence.

"I believe that," he replied. "Hopefully I can also be a good husband for you."


End file.
